Work to be done by someone

There is no other way of saying it.

You have to admire Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his minority Tory government.

There is a growing list of things the otherwise precarious government is turning its hand to - regardless of promises, threats and unpopularity.

Our Afghan policy was the first to get bolstered, our moribund Kyoto Accord plan was one of the first things to go, and then it was our hitherto pasty Middle East stance. Now, maybe just to show how tough and serious they are, the Tories have dropped one right on their own doorstep.

The government has announced measures to ensure corporate income trusts are taxed fairly.

Income trusts have been a means by which corporations could avoid taxes; their investors often wind up paying them.

The move by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty sparked a furor - including in the oil patch, where some companies were on the path to becoming income trusts.

Some investors and corporate bosses are furious; others take it as the perils of investment; others saw it coming. After all, the Liberals had tried it and backed off.

Obviously, there was something wrong that had to be remedied. If there wasn't a lot of corporate tax money being missed, certainly there was the potential. It was a matter of when and how - and how to negatively affect the most people. And, of course, how quickly things could deteriorate.

Flaherty has said, though he regretted having to break a Tory election promise not to tax the trusts, he had to protect the country and its tax resources. At the same time, those seniors who would have lost investment money on the government's move have been afforded other means to conserve their retirement funds.

Possibly the Tories' alleged ties to business were responsible for their realizing just what was happening.

The Liberals have been on about the Tories' breaking a promise and being incompetent - claiming the matter wiped out $25 billion in wealth.

The NDP supports the Tory move on the trusts.

A look at the race (s)

Meanwhile, the federal Liberal leadership race has taken a new turn. It's gotten to the point the guys are whipping it out: Bob Rae shucked down for a skinny dip for the Rick Mercer Show, and then our own Scott Brison appeared in a Women of Wolfville-sponsored calendar - and subsequently numerous publications and television programs - sporting nothing but a sponge and fridge door. Brison did it for a couple of worthy charities - prostate and ovarian cancer. Rae's charity, of course, was his own campaign.

I suspect if the Liberals don't settle down for their Dec. 2 convention in Montreal, the contest will dumb down even further - most likely to knuckles and fisticuffs. That's where former NHL goalie Ken Dryden would probably do well.

It's ironic it's the buttoned down Liberals who started this new low. Then again, that's what happens when you let thing drag out too long and the boys - and remaining girl - get bored and restless.

As for the provincial Liberals, they will be getting their new leader in the New Year. I still think they let Francis MacKenzie get away too fast. As I said before, they had a diamond in the rough and didn't know how to cut and polish it.

Backing those who serve

Mind you, though someone like MacKenzie could fight the Tories on the right, NDP Opposition Leader Darrell Dexter is doing just that in his call for reservists' civilian jobs to be protected by provincial labour regulations while they are on call out. This is especially important, as more and more reservists are serving with permanent force units around the country and around the world. West Novas in particular, besides working on a number of national and even international programs in Canada, will be serving in Afghanistan in a few months.

It's not surprising Dexter would do this - besides fitting well into the real responsibilities of being the Opposition Leader, he is a former naval officer and a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

It's also pertinent Dexter's NDP were first on board to give volunteer firefighters a tax break.

I think the federal NDP should further catch on to this reality and start serving those who serve us - even if you don't always agree with a specific task. They have already bought into the income trusts and are eyeing the new Tory environment package, no doubt figuring they will be able to get some control over it from the inside.

That's okay.

The lesson on the federal and provincial stages is you do what you have to do and do what is right - regardless of philosophy and promises made at a time the situation wasn't as clear or pressing.

That's all we can ask of politicians.